What Now?

This is always such a weird phase. I'm no longer pregnant, but yet I don't feel completely normal yet. My body is frumpy to say the least. I plan to weigh tomorrow to see how much weight I have lost postpartum. Now that my swelling is down, I am hoping to see double digits. Once I have been cleared at my 6 week check-up I plan to really buckle down on diet and exercise. For now I am trying to just take it easy and have reasonable expectations for myself.

Life with 4.......1 Week Later

What a week it has been indeed. I don't think I ever really knew what to expect so I never really had any expectations. The hardest thing by far has been keeping the house all in one piece. The older girls love the baby, but for the most part leave her alone. She is an awesome baby. Eats good, sleeps good, and loves to be cuddled. My recovery was much slower after this delivery. I had some postpartum swelling in my legs that led to a trip to the ER late last week. Luckily everything is okay and the problem seems to have resolved itself. I also managed to pull some stomach muscles that I didn't even know I had during the delivery which left me unable to lay flat for several days. I am finally starting to feel better and that helps.Today was the King's first day back to work and I think it says a lot that everybody got dressed, ate, and there were no major injuries. We are establishing a routine, that while sometimes exhausting helps me keep my insanity. The laundry is done, the kids are clean, and everyone appears happy. I think that's a good start!

Pretty in Pink

Tea Turns 3

On Sunday, anticipating labor approaching, we celebrated Tea's birthday a little early at Chuck E. Cheese in a neighboring town. The girls all had a fabulous time! I really can't believe Tea is 3. It seems like she has been a part of my life and our family forever, but at the same time could it really have been that long ago that I brought her home? She has an amazing spirit that brightens any day and keeps anyone on their toes. Happy Birthday my little firecracker!

Oh Baby!

Wow! The intensity of the last two days would be impossible to describe with words alone. Amazing, I guess that's a start. It all started....

Sunday 10:30 pm: We had spent the afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese. An early celebration for Tea's birthday. The King was ready to crash for the night but I was feeling a little antsy. I had eaten some jalapeno cheese and was feeling a little sick to my stomach. I decided to hang out on the couch for a bit.

Monday 12:30 am: My queasy stomach graduated to light contractions. Nothing to time or to start waking anybody up over. I stayed on the couch channel surfing. I was absolutely exhausted but couldn't sleep.

2:30 am: I realized this could be the real deal. Contractions were now coming about 5 minutes apart and lasting between 30-45 seconds. Nothing I couldn't walk or talk through, but becoming more uncomfortable. I decided to wake the King and take a shower.

3:00 am: I called my Mom and told her I was ready to go to the hospital. She had her neighbor come over to watch her girls and her and my Step-Dad headed our way.

3:30 am: The King, my Mom, and I left for the hospital (about 2 minutes away.) We arrived and I was checked in for observation. I had no previous cervical examination so there was no way to determine if there had been any change. I was 50% effaced and dilated 2cm's. This came as bad news. I was uncomfortable and was hoping to be a lot further into the process.

4:30 am: I was checked again after an hour of observation and a steady labor pattern. I was 50% effaced and 2cm's dilated. I couldn't believe it. The nurse called my doctor and told him that while I had not progressed during the observation period she was certain that I was in labor and asked him to approve an additional hour for further monitoring. He was okay with that and the King and I went for a walk to try and get something a little more serious started.

5:00 am: Walking through the contractions had become more difficult. I decided to get in the jacuzzi tub and see how that works. I enjoyed the tub, but was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable.

6:30 am: The nurse checked my cervix again. 50% effaced and 2 cm's dilated. I was booted from labor and delivery and instructed to go to my 10:45 OB appointment as originally planned. The King, my Mom, and I left the hospital. My Mom and Step-Dad went home and I tried to rest.

7:30 am: I cannot walk, talk, or rest through a contraction. I was finding it very difficult at this point to keep my spirits up as I could not understand why there was no progression.

8:00 am: I called my Mom back and told her I was going to go back to the hospital. My contractions were much stronger and I did not feel as though I could wait until 10:45. The King and I woke up the girls and we all drove to my Mom's house. After dropping the girls off, we headed back to the hospital.

8:30 am: We were back at the hospital. The night staff had gone home and I had to retell my story to the day shift. I was taken back to a room and my cervix was checked once again. To my relief I was now 5 cm's dilated with a bulging bag of waters. My doctor came immediately and ruptured the bag (the King was still down in admissions it happened so fast) Once my bag of waters was broken I immediately progressed to 6 cm's.

9:00 am: I was given an IV and Stadol and was feeling much more relaxed. The Doctor felt fairly confident that this would be a quick labor and I opted to pass on an epidural.

10:00 am: My contractions had slowed down and lost intensity. I was still 6 cm's dilated.

10:30 am: The contractions continued to slump and there was now talk of Pitocin.

11:00 am: I decided that if there was going to be Pitocin involved I wanted an epidural. Just the mere mention of Pitocin and my contractions became stronger again and I wanted the epidural NOW!

11:30 am: I had my epidural and although I was feeling a lot of pressure, I was definitely a lot more comfortable.

11:45 am-12:30 pm: Things started to get a little crazy. For reasons unknown at the time the baby's heart rate dropped. I was put on oxygen and had to change positions several times. My cervix was checked again and I was mistakenly thought to be 10 cm's dilated. The Doc was called and we began the pushing phase.

12:45 pm: By now it had been established that when pushing began I was only 9 1/2 cm's dilated. A small lip of cervix would not budge. I pushed and pushed and pushed. Nothing changed. The Doc went back to the office, the Pitocin was increased, and I was instructed to rest and hope for the contractions to do the work.

1:00 pm: My epidural completely wore off. I cannot describe the amount of pain I was in. I tried breathing through contractions, resting, begging for mercy, none of which worked. At this point I was definitely letting the nursing staff know that I wasn't happy. I demanded a C-section or a vacuum delivery, both of which I was of course denied.

1:44 pm: Feeling hopeless I began to beg to try pushing again. The nurse checked my cervix and I had not completed dilated. She agreed to let me try a practice push with the next contraction. I felt the contraction begin and started pushing right away. I couldn't control the urge and continued to push despite the nurses urging me to stop.

1:46 pm: It all ended with Baby Bradlynn being born right onto the bed with no doctor in sight. It turns out she had an extremely short umbilical cord which was the cause of the drop in heart rate and the reason she was not descending.

1:47 pm: I was officially the happiest person on earth. Labor and delivery was over and I had a beautiful healthy brand new baby girl!

We're both home now and feeling great. The rest of my hospital stay went good and the girls are adjusting very well to the newest little addition. I am sure things will be pretty crazy for a while, but I am relieved that we are moving on to the next phase!

Ahem, Ladies and Gentlemen.......

Bradlynn Delaney
July 23, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
7# 1.8 ozs 18 1/2 "

Mom and Baby are doing well.

Aloha

What could cheer up a very pregnant lady, eager to wrap this whole thing up? A party of course!

Is this Normal?

Right now I don't feel like I will ever go into labor. I have had no contractions at all for a very long time. I bear no other signs or symptoms of the big event. I still haven't had any type of internal exam so no ideas as to what may or may not be happening. I am starting to fear an overdue baby. Chiggie and Tea were both born and home from the hospital by this time. And even with Midge I had a lot of signs that labor was indeed going to happen eventually. *Sigh* Only two more weeks, only two more weeks, only two more weeks.........

Day at the Beach

38 Weeks

Almost. Tomorrow I hit the 38 week mark. I had my appointment today and everything still looks great. The Doc is still predicting a bigger baby than the last three and I have another appointment on Monday. Overall I am feeling okay considering. I am tired, huge, and starting to swell a little from the high temperatures.

Tomorrow we are going to the Lake with the Church Youth Group and the girls are really excited. We have never been to this particular beach and having been wanting to try it out for a while now. I am hoping to spend the day on a blanket while the girls splash in the shallow water. Wish me luck!

Okay, Now I'm Complaining

I know, I know, I just cannot be made happy. Understand though, it is really hot and I am hugely pregnant. I couldn't sleep last night. The sheets literally felt like saran wrap even with the fan on. It's supposed to be 100+ today and then cool down tomorrow. I'm melting!

I'm Not Complaining

But it is hot! Like fry an egg on the sidewalk, 100 degrees in the shade hot. I have the AC on high with the electric fan blowing in my face and am getting very little relief. The girls on the other hand enjoyed swimming and eating ice cream sandwiches on the deck. Oh to be young again when swimming and ice cream made everything better.

Breaking News

Yep, you guessed it. Chiggie can officially blow a bubble. We stopped off at the store on the way home from t-ball practice and I conceded to buy some bubble gum. She spent the whole evening practicing and then it just clicked and she blew a giant bubble. What a proud moment.

It's My Pity Party.....

And I will cry if I want to. Last night was a living nightmare. It was hot even with the fan running and I had a lot of trouble getting comfortable. Every time I would start to drift off I would have to go to the bathroom and start the whole process all over again. I don't know exactly what time it was, late, but I finally fell asleep.

Around 2:30 I could hear a light whimpering at the foot of the bed. Due to the fact that I had just finished the upstairs around bedtime, the girls had a camp out in the family room. I sat up, realized it was Chiggie, and motioned for her to come around to the side of the bed. She was crying which is extremely rare. She said she had a really bad headache and needed me to come out to the family room.

I grunted my way out of the bed and waddled out to tuck her back in. When I got to the family room I was speechless. She had obviously gotten sick all over the family room. The floor, the couch, the tile. Nothing went untouched. I was frozen in horror and shock. I prayed for it to be a bad dream. Any other night I think I could have maintained sanity, but things were already going so awful. Where I got the strength I'm not sure, but I cleaned it all up. I then got out the carpet cleaning spray and made sure no trace was left.

By the time I was done Chiggie was all cleaned up and asleep on the other couch. I tucked her in, put a bucket by her side, and went back to bed. I tossed and turned the rest of the night and have been paying the price today. Stuff happens, I know, but the timing couldn't have been any worse. Thankfully she's fine today so it was just one of her vomiting incidents. Reason number 2,789 why I need a carpet shampooer. If you would like to know the other 2, 788 reasons just come hang out for a couple of days!

Accomplishments

I think I set my standards a little too high for this weekend. I forgot that we would still have to eat, bathe, sleep and chase after 3 very busy little girls. I am pleased though, at what did get accomplished. The upstairs is done! The girls bathroom is re-organized, the baby bath tub cleaned and ready, and the drawers filled with clean baby towels and wash cloths. All the baby clothes are washed and hung and we have an outfit picked out for her hospital picture and homecoming.

We washed all the bassinet bedding and the baby carrier and sling are laundered and ready as well. We still need to bring in the swing and bouncy seat and wash them. The car seat is on its way, and the snugglies are ready to be strapped in. Tomorrow the focus will be on the downstairs and making a list for my hospital bag. I always manage to forget half of the things one would want at the hospital. Hopefully this time I will be a little more prepared.

I can really tell that I am approaching 38 weeks. I was so uncomfortable in church today I didn't know if I could make it through the service. Standing to sing was actually a relief. Sitting straight up is pure torture. Fortunately I am not swollen at all this week. Maybe all the water I have been drinking is paying off. I really hope I can stay focused and follow through with my plans for tomorrow. I better head to bed if there is any chance of that!

Partners in Crime

Several cups of sand poured into the pool again. Causing the pool to have a "lake water" look.

Enough kitty litter on the bathroom floor to constitute a crunchy beach.

I'm sure all that trouble would make me exhausted as well. Wait a second. It does make me exhausted!

Guessing Game

When I had my last OB appointment, my Dr. said the baby was bigger than average. While the baby should weigh about 6lbs he guessed she's already 7. I disagree. All of the girls have been 6 pounders. Chiggie: 6#4ozs Tea: 6#6oz Midge: 6#7oz. I had different doctors with all 3 and every doctor told me they would be bigger than that, with the doctor who delivered Tea even going as high as 8#'s.

So there you have it. What will this baby be born weighing. I'll start things off by making my own guess. Baby #4 : 6#10ozs.

What a Week

Thankfully the clouds broke and we finally saw some blue skies!

We spent a beautiful and hot afternoon at the pool.

The girls loved the fresh air.

When the sun wasn't shining we hung out at the library.

We had some ice cream to cool off.

T-ball, thankfully was not rained out.
And who doesn't enjoy an evening bike ride?

This really has been a great summer. We have another busy week ahead of us. I am really hoping to get all the baby prep done this weekend. And maybe, just maybe, squeeze in a little relaxation.

37 Weeks

Yesterday I had my 37 week appointment. Everything still looks great. I maintained my weight, which isn't saying much. As the doctor put it, I gained plenty enough in the beginning. Sometimes when I walk by a mirror in a store or something I am startled by how huge I look. However redundant it may seem, I am still amazed that I am almost due. I have gotten a little more motivated lately and am almost completely ready to bring her home. There are still a few things that need to be done, it's just hard to work through my aches and pains at this point.

So far there are no real signs that she will be coming too soon. The doctor didn't do an internal exam so I don't know if my cervix has changed at all. I haven't had any contractions in a long time. The weather is cooperating. Keeping things nice and cool for me. I can go through Tea's birthday then I'm sorry, out she will have to come.

You Can't Always Get What You Want

I wanted to tell all about how much fun we had at the library today. How the girls got prizes for all their reading. About how afterwards we went and had ice cream, under a pavillion in beautiful, not too hot weather. How Chiggie's T-ball game went great. How we got her team pictures back and they're adorable.

But....... Instead I must report the great mustard disaster of '07. After dinner, somehow without either of us seeing her, Tea got into the fridge. She sneaked out the mustard and proceeded to the family room. Once there she squeezed her "paint" onto the carpet. *shudder* She then made tiny, mustard, handprints all accross the carpet. Bright Yellow handprints all accross the carpet I have diligently protected for the past 3 years. I have been obsessive about carpet ever since the purple popsicle disaster of '04, but that's a whole 'nother post.

Some carpet cleaner, Dawn dishwashing liquid, and several prayers later and I am in a better place. I have made peace with the light stains that now litter the carpet and the fact that they are probably the first of many to come.

Spelling it Out

With 3 small children, the King and I spend a great deal of time spelling things around here. For instance we'll say: "It looks like someone needs an n-a-p." Well last night our dinner was very chaotic. Tea basically cried through the whole meal. She bit her tongue. She couldn't twirl her spaghetti right. Someone looked at her wrong. Finally Chiggie looked at me and said: "I think someone needs an h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p."

Swim Gear

If you're gonna play right, then you have to have the right gear. Seriously this kid is just cute that's all I can say. I have a hard time believing that in about 3 weeks or less she will be a big sister. Ahhhh, she will always be my baby though.

These are the only pictures I took today. All those cute kids and I snap two shots. What can I say I'm tired.

Not a Whole Lot

Not much to report here. We had a good weekend. Last evening we had a cookout at the park and I ate way too much food. I woke up this morning so swollen that I couldn't bend my toes and could hardly hold my toothbrush. I've been drinking lots of water to try to flush my system. We stayed up way too late as well and I can't wait for bedtime tonight. Tomorrow my nieces and little sisters are coming over to play on the slip and slide and swim, so hopefully I'll have some cute pic's.

36 Weeks

Really? 36 weeks already? This pregnancy has gone by so fast. Aside from the wretched, wretched, beginning it hasn't been too bad. But now, we have come to the inevitable end. Soon she will be coming out. That's the part I don't like at all. I want her out. I just don't want to push her out. I have never been a fan of labor and delivery. I always have all of these expectations of myself that I never seem to be able to meet. I envision an all natural labor where I am a warrior on a mission. This lasts about an hour into labor. At that point I envision drugs. Lots of colorful drugs that make me hallucinate and numb from the neck down. Maybe this time will be different. We'll know soon enough I suppose. How soon? Well I'll tell you how it has gone down before and your guess is as good as mine.

Chiggie: Due date 6-24-01 born 6-09-01 at 38 weeks
Tea: Due date 8-15-04 born 7-26-04 at 37 weeks
Midge: Due date 2-22-06 born 2-19-06 at 39 weeks

All labors began naturally, I have never been induced. I suggest if you want to remain on friendly terms you not guess that I will go over due! :-)

Beans and Cake

We had a delicious BBQ last night. I hear other people complain about their kids being picky eaters. Fortunately for us that is not the case. Unfortunately ours just about eat us out of house and home.

After watching the fireworks last night, everyone was exhausted. The girls went to bed with no trouble and we followed shortly after. Just as I was drifting off I saw a small shadow moving towards my side of the bed.

Chiggie: I can't sleep

Me: Why not?

Chiggie: I can't stop thinking about the BBQ beans and the cake in the fridge

Me: Well if you go to sleep, they'll be there for breakfast.

Chiggie: Okay.

She then sauntered happily back upstairs and fell asleep for the night. And in the morning, what a fine breakfast the BBQ beans and cherry cheese cake made!

Happy 4th

Escapees

I almost never use a baby gate anymore. Today I put one up while I was cleaning so that the girls wouldn't back track through the house bringing their little tornadoes of destruction with them. At one point I was in the family room and it was way too quiet. Chiggie was in the dining room and I asked her where Tea and Midge were. She ran through the kitchen to check and yelled for me to come. I ran in half expecting them to have ravaged the pantry and dumped out the flour or something. Nope. They were gone. They tore the gate down. They didn't knock it down. They tore it down. It was ripped down the middle and they crawled through the hole. Luckily their trail was still hot and we caught them on the stairs. Sheesh.

Live and Learn

I was in a fog all day today. We stayed up way to late last night watching a movie. When we finally went to bed the cat wouldn't leave me alone. I even tried shutting the door. To which she jumped up turning the handle and opening the door. Yeah, I am just lucky to have a cat that talented.

I had to be up and in the shower by 7:30 to make it to church on time. I sat there like a zombie, but I am glad I sucked it up and we went. We also got some early back to school shopping done today. We hit up some clearances and I was shocked at what we were able to get for not much at all.

Tonight, I will be turning in early. At least until I have the baby I don't think I will intentionally be pulling any more late nighters.